Myles McGuinness: Ojai Valley Inn

California-based photographer Myles McGuinness is no stranger when it comes to shooting lifestyle photography. Having a long and productive relationship with Ojai Valley Inn, he was thrilled when the company commissioned him to shoot images highlighting the resort's new amenities.

The goal of the project was to capture authentic moments in the form of video footage and still images, highlighting the type of experience guests can expect during their stay.

As a luxury brand, it’s important that ‘the look’ stays consistent yet distinguished for each of their different lifestyle amenities and activities. We understand how to create and capture images that reflect their magical place all in a unique way.

The pre-production aspect of this project went smoothly since this wasn’t Myles first time working with Ojai Valley Inn. He was familiar with the layout of the hotel and only needed to do a walkthrough the day before the shoot to get a better grasp of what needed to be captured. After a few lead up conversations about budgets and hiring crew, the team was set to start shooting.

Myles likes to keep things fun and fluid, which was easy to do during this project.

The location is amazing with so many different areas that all feel completely different; it’s hard to go wrong. D.P./Director Steven Richardson and I have worked together for years, so we tend to keep thing pretty light and humorous. The BTS moments impersonating the crew members is always a highlight, and I wish I could have recorded some of the chef’s conversations with the talent. He had us all in tears.

When shooting both motion and stills, you have to be sure you are balancing your time based on the needs of the client. And the people you work with can sometimes make or break a situation.

On one of the mornings there was some fog that rolled in, but luckily, everyone involved in this project was on the same page and allowed for flexible schedules to accommodate the weather. With everyone so in sync, the team was able to come together and accomplish this project easily.

The images turned out great, and the client’s reactions have been super positive. The summer months at the hotel continue to be booked up, which is a great sign! Ojai Valley Inn is always making updates and adding new amenities, so Myles plans to continue building his relationship with the hotel and shooting images for any future projects that come his way.